THE ACADEMIC WORLD

Jed Scott Bronstein, of Chestnut Hill, has graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Bishop McDevitt High School seniors Kelly Hanahan, Danielle Showmaker and Michael Messina attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in Houston.

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Nearly one-quarter of Springside School’s Class of 2003 earned distinction in the College Board’s 2003 AP Awards Program. Based on their exceptional academic performance on the May 2003 Advanced Placement tests, nine Springside students qualified for honors from the College Board. Rachel Krol (Fort Washington) took a total of eight AP classes during the Upper School at Springside. She earned the National AP Scholar Award by receiving an average grade of 4 or higher, on a 5-point scale, on all AP exams taken and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. With acceptances to Harvard University and Stanford University, Rachel chose Columbia University in NYC so that she might pursue her passion for dance. Lauren Martz (Lower Gwynedd) and Rachel Krol qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Ashley Burkert (Philadelphia), Julia Jacobelli (Yardley), and Margaret O’Neill (Philadelphia) qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Meghan Curry (Mt. Airy), Rebecca Meyer (Fort Washington), Allison Sears (Philadelphia) and Ashley Via (Northeast Philadelphia) qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of 3 or higher.

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A record number — 111 St. Joseph’s Preparatory School seniors, or 44 percent of the class — have been inducted into the National Honor Society. “Requirements for membership in the Prep’s NHS chapter are higher than those of the national organization, which calls for a cumulative grade average of 3.0 on a scale of 4,” said Dr. Michael J. Coury, principal of the school. “The Prep requires a 3.5 average.” St. Joseph’s Prep School also requires applicants for NHS membership to tutor freshmen during their senior year, to perform other community service, and to write biographical essays describing how they fulfilled the four basic requirements for membership. Local area students include: Ian F. Green, of Flourtown; Jonathan T. McCurdy, of Lafayette Hill; Robert J. McDonnell, of Flourtown; Andrew J. Morell, of Flourtown; Ryan J. Pollock of Lafayette Hill; Mark A. Foelster, of Roxborough; Sean M. McGonigle, of East Falls; Patrick J. Iffrig, of Roxborough; Peter E. Roller, of Chestnut Hill; and F. Shannon Sweeney, of Roxborough.

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Forty-five students at Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Flourtown have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Only about 15 percent of the more than one million high school students nationwide who took AP Exams in May 2003 performed at a sufficiently high level to merit such recognition. An impressive 24 percent of all Mount students who took the exams can call themselves AP Scholars. Eleven students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are: Christen Battipaglia, Kathleen Candando, Mollie Devine, Claire Elliott, Brittany Fasy, Christina Flounders, Kimberly Genesio, Maureen Higgins, Teresa Kelley, Morgan Oakes and Catherine Wigglesworth. Nineteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are: Brooke Adams, Kathryn Brady, April DeGideo, Elizabeth Hartnett, Jill Heinly, Katrina Kissman, Jessica Klusek, Mary Kroliczak, Courtney McSparron, Charlotte Merrick, Katrina Pack, Jenna Pellecchia, Irene Reeb, Julia Rogers, Lauren Scanlon, Sheila Taylor, Celeste Tinari, Diana Tomezsko and Samhitha Udupa. Fifteen students qualified for the AP Scholar award by completing three or more AP examinations, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are: Mallory Bowers, Julia Erdosy, Christine Farag, Natalie Farano, Kathleen Kenney, Meghan Malone, Allyson McCreery, Elizabeth Murphy, Jacquelyn Nowicke, Ponney Palanisamy, Bridget Salmons, Mary Sasso, Marissa Smith, Jennifer Walker and Diana Zalewski.